Method of purifying alcohol manufactured by distilling fermented sulfite liquor.



"P. G. EKSTROM.

METHOD 0E PURIFYING ALCOHOL MANUFACTURED BY DISTILLING PERMENTBD SULFITE LIQUOR. APPLICATION FILED 1933.24.1912.

1,095,830, Patented May 5, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

v P. G. EKSTRUM. METHOD OF PURIFYING ALCOHOL MANUFACTURED BY DISTILLING PERMEN TED SULFITE LIQUOR.

APPLICATION FILED PEB.24, 1912.

1,095,830, Patented May 5, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

gwcw UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PER eos'rA EKs'rn/oM, or BARNES, SWEDEN.

METHOD OF PURIFYING ALGOHOLMANUFAG'IURED BY DISTILLING FERMENTED SULFI'IE LIQUOR.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed February 24, 1912. Serial No. 679,798.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, PER Gos'm EKsrRoM,

. a citizen of the Kingdom of Sweden, residing at Harniis, Sweden, have invented new and useful Improvements in Methods of Purifying Alcohol Manufactured by Distilling Fermented Sulfite Liquor, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a method of purifying alcohol manufactured by distilling fermented sulfite liquor.

It is well known that fermented sulfite liquor contains besides alcohol small quantities of more or less volatile compounds, such as sulfurous acid, aldehydes, ketones and so on, which follow the alcohol during the distillation process and make the final product impure and which also partly afieot the material of the distilling apparatus.

The present invention relates to a method which renders it possible to remove in an effective manner the impurities in the manufacture of alcohol by dist' 'ng fermented sulfite liquor.

The invention consists, briefly, in treating the alcohol with bases during the distillation itself, while the alcohol and the impurities accompanying the same are in form of steam or vapor. The distillation may be carried out by means of any well known distilling apparatus for continuous distillation. According to this invention the base, for instance soda (carbonate of sodium), is introduced directly into the distilling apparatus, or one may provide a separate purifying apparatus charged with the basic purifying agent, through which the weak alcohol vapor distilled from the sulfite liquor is led, before it is led through the other parts of the apparatus to be concentrated and condensed.

In order to make the invention more easily understood it will be described herebelow with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show in Figures 1 and 2 two different sets of apparatus which may be used for carrying the invention into practice.

Referring to Fig. 1, 1 indicates a column apparatus. for continuous distillation, 2 a rectifying apparatus arranged directly on the distillation column, 3 a deflegmator and 4: a cooler for condensing the concentrated alcohol va or, said cooler being connected with the eflegmator 3-. The said appaother parts of the plant.

ratus are of well known type. 5 indicates a supply pipe for the sulfite liquor to be distilled and 6 a drawing 01f pipe for the lye from which the alcohol has been separated. The portion of the column adjacent to the distilling apparatus may be charged with a basic reacting agent, for instance a solution of carbonate of sodium or a diluted solution of caustic soda, through a supply pipe 7 provided on a suitable level above the supplypipe 5. 9 indicates a supply pipe for the steam necessary for carrying out the distillation.

The apparatus described above works as follows: The liquor to be distilled is admitted continuously through the pipe 5 and flowssuccessively downward through the ap paratus and escapes through the pipe 6. On its way through the apparatus 1 the liquor meets the steam supplied through the pipe 9; by which the alcohol together with some impurities, such 'as sulfurous acid, and aldehyde compounds are driven off as steam or vapor. These vapors pass upward through the column. During the passage of these vapors through that portion of the column whicli is charged with a basic agent and which is situated between the supply pipe 7 and the liquor supply pipe 5, the ,sulfurous acid accompanying the alcohol vapors is bound by the basic agent, while other vapors, such as aldehydesulfurousacid or acetaldehyde-sulfurous-acid, are decomposed so that free aldehyde and sulfurous acid are formed. The aldehyde accompanies the alcohol vapors and may be separated from the gases remaining after the condensation of the concentrated alcohol, while the freed sulfurous acid will be bound'to the sodium according to the following formula:

(Acetaldehyde sulfurous acid.)

(Aldehyde.

Patented May 5, 1914. v

When the alcohol vapors in this manner have been freed from injurious impurities the concentration and condensation thereof are accomplished in the usual manner in the In Fig. 2, 1 indicates a distilling column, 2 a rectifying column se arated from said distilling column, 3 a de egmator provided on the rectifying column, 3 a second deflegmator provided on the distilling column,

and 4 a cooler for condensing the concentrated alcohol vapors. 5 isa supply pipe for the liquor to be distilled, 6 is a drawing ofi pipe for the distilled liquor, and 9 is a supply pipe for steam. These apparatus are Wellknown. The distilling column 1 is at its to tightly closed by a wall 10 and to the co umn is on both'sides of this wall connected a special apparatus 11 for purifying the alcohol vapors. Said apparatus may be of arbitrary construction and may suitably be carried out as a column apparatus of the same type as the usual distilling columns, as is shown in the drawing. 12 indicates a supply pipe for a basic agent, for instance a solution of soda, and 13 indicatesa drawing off pipe for the reaction agent saturated with impurities; This plant works substan-. tially in the same manner as that shown in Fig. 1. The alcohol vapors distilled ofi' in the column 1 together with accompanying impurities are compelled by the wall 10 to pass through the purifying apparatus 11 before they can enter into the deflegmator 3 The chemical purifying process in the apparatus 11 is the same as that described with reference to Fig. 1.

noeaeao Having now described my'invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Intters Patent is: s

1. In the manufacture of alcohol from fermented sulfite liquor, a method of removing sulfurous acid and aldehyde compounds from the alcohol, which com rises heating the alcohol vapors duringfithe distilling rocess roper with basic su bin ing the sulfurous acid and decom osing the aldehyde compounds contained 1n the alcohol vapors, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In the manufacture of alcohol from fermented sulfite liquor, a method of removing sulfurous acid and aldehyde compounds from the alcohol, which consists in treating the alcohol vapors durin the distilling process proper with a solutlon of soda, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signed my name in presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

PER GGSTA EKSIROM. Witnesses:

LUND DELMAR, JOHN DELMAR.

stances capab e of 

